'Governor not elected on ethnic basis'<\/p>\n
The gubernatorial election may still be three months away, but
\npeople have begun discussing the candidates. One of the main
\nissues is whether the next governor should be a Betawi (native
\nJakartan) despite the city's populace being a melting pot of
\nvarious ethnic groups. Some people share their opinions with The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Reni is a 27-year-old shop assistant who works on Jl. Gajah
\nMada, Central Jakarta. She was born here although her parents are
\nfrom Lampung. She lives in the Pecenongan area, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
I don't think the Jakarta governor must be a Betawi. I
\ndisagree with the idea of electing a governor based on ethnicity.
\nIt's too biased.<\/p>\n
Of course it's OK to have a Betawi as the next governor as
\nlong as he or she is benevolent, honest and does not corrupt. He
\nor she must also pay attention to the poor.<\/p>\n
It's really important that our next governor has a good track
\nrecord. That's what we want.<\/p>\n
Amarullah Asbah, 57, is a Betawi and councillor from the
\nGolkar Party.<\/p>\n
I'm afraid that if a Betawi was to lead the city, other Betawi
\npeople would ask for \"projects\" because they would feel that the
\ngovernor owed them something for their support. I don't feel
\nthere is any Betawi who is \"culturally\" ready to become a
\ngovernor.<\/p>\n
It's not really an important issue whether the governor is a
\nBetawi or not. We're talking about the capital where many people
\nfrom various parts of the country live.<\/p>\n
In a modern era like now, we should not think about anything
\nthat could polarize us.<\/p>\n
Bernardus Fitri Widhiyanto, 28, was born in Semarang and is an
\nemployee at a private firm in North Jakarta. He has lived in
\nJakarta for seven years.<\/p>\n
I think it would be narrow-minded to insist that the next
\ngovernor of Jakarta is a Betawi. Whoever the governor is, he or
\nshe must be able to accommodate the aspirations and expectations
\nof Jakarta's residents.<\/p>\n
We must remember that Jakarta, as a metropolis, is inhabited
\nby people from various cultural backgrounds.<\/p>\n
What concerns me is if the next governor is a Betawi, will he
\nor she be able to maintain all the diversity without any narrow-
\nmindedness?<\/p>\n
Besides, we must also consider Jakarta as the capital city of
\nIndonesia. It means that Jakarta is one of the most significant
\nindicators for the international community to assess the
\ncountry's situation.<\/p>\n
Afriadie, 24, is half Javanese and half Betawi. He works as a
\ncameraman at a private television station.<\/p>\n
Everyone deserves the same opportunity to become a governor,
\nno matter whether that person is a Betawi or not.<\/p>\n
I personally think the Betawi people have yet to meet the
\nqualified human resources standards. Most of them are not ready
\nto be leaders, particularly a governor. No prominent achievements
\nhave been made so far. A credible leader has yet to emerge from
\nthe Betawi community.<\/p>\n
However, I really hope the next governor is a civilian,
\ninstead of a military officer.<\/p>\n
We should vote for a civilian candidate. It's time to show the
\ncapability of a civilian. -- JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governor-not-elected-on-ethnic-basis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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